The event was scheduled  to take place in Aigle-Martigny in Switzerland from September 20 to 27, but was cancelled after the Swiss Government extended a ban on events involving more than 1,000 people.

Cycling's world governing body has remained hopefully of staging the Road World Championships elsewhere, and Lappartient's latest comments on Twitter suggest an agreement has been reached.

Lappartient yesterday tweeted an image of Bernard Hinault winning the men's road race world title in 1980 to mark the 40th anniversary of the event in Sallanches, which is close to Aigle-Martigny, across the border in Hinault's native France.

The image was accompanied with the message: "We're happy to announce the UCI Road World Championships legend will continue in 2020 with a new venue!  

"More info to come on 2 september (sic)."

The French Cycling Federation has offered to step in as a last-minute host for this year's Road World Championships, suggesting Haute-Saône.

The north-eastern department has hosted Tour de France stages on five occasions within the last decade.

Valdera in Italy has also made a late bid to stage the event.

The existing dates for this year's Road World Championships overlap with the final day of the Tour de France.

Tomorrow had previously been offered as when a new host would be named.